Manufacture of structural members



May 21, 1940. R. T. McGEE MANUFACTURE OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS OriginalFiled March 21, 1936 v-Mwa .%/m m .L L]... m% m s M n $5 {1w .g I. Allll y 7 Q Q \m a N 1 MN $1 K PL Fit: 55L- N T m F 51illlllil-I+I-1-1I-iliiili-lililiiit 8% 5 Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE MANUFACTURE OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS Richard T. McGee,Wheeling, W. Va., assignor to The Consolidated Expanded Metal Companies,Wheeling, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia 4 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of structural members. Moreparticularly, the invention is concerned with the manufacture of astructural member of the type adapted for use as studs or joists, whichmember is fabricated from sheet metal stock.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an effective, simple andrapid method for producing structural members such as studs or joists.

In addition, the invention has in view novel equipment for carrying outthe method, the same being of simple construction and capable ofrelatively high speed and accurate operation.

The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages will be pointedout more fully hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing,in which- Figure 1 is a side view, partly in vertical section, of amachine constructed and operated in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View of the equipment of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a face View of a structural member produced in accordancewith this invention, this view being arranged to illustrate successivesteps in the process of manufacture; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View of the member shown in Figure 3,taken on the line il.

In considering the drawing, reference is first made to Figures 3 and 4.The right-hand portion of Figure 3 discloses the improved stud incompleted form, as does also the sectional view of Figure 4. From theseviews it will be seen that the improved structural member comprises aweb I with marginal flanges 8 forming a channel shape.

The web is provided with apertures 9 having curved corners at one endthereof as at It and approximately squared corners l I at the other endthereof. These apertures, as clearly seen in the drawing, formcross-ties l2 lying in the plane of the web and extended substantiallytransverse the longitudinal axis of the channel. At one edge of each ofthe crossties I2 a flange i3 is provided, this being formed of a lipwhich is bent out of the plane of the web during the process ofmanufacture referred to herebelow.

I have found that this form of structural member not only providesconsiderable rigidity for a given weight, but further may be produced,in accordance with a simple and effective method, from sheet metalstock. In addition, the shape and size of the apertures 9 is such as toreadily accommodate piping and wiring which may be disposed within thewall, ceiling or the like in which the improved members are located.

In Figures 1 and 2 I have illustrated a novel press mechanism adapted tothe manufacture of the structural member shown in Figures 3 and 4. Ashere seen, the mechanism includes upper and lower press members 14 and[5 adapted to receive a channel blank X fed therethrough, as by means offeed rollers |6!6 and l'l-li'. The sheet metal stock may, of course,first be suitably rolled to provide the flanges 8-8 and thereafter thepress mechanism operates on the web of the blank X, in accordance withthe following.

The lower press member carries a device l8 having apertures l9 thereincorresponding in shape to the apertures 9a shown toward the left ofFigure 3. The upper press member carries piercing punches 20 of similarconfiguration adapted to cooperate with the apertures IS in the devicel8 when the press is actuated so as to produce the piercing 9a shown inFigure 3. This piercing, it will be observed, provides a lip l3a. towardone end of each aperture 9a and upon a succeeding actuation of the pressmember M the die plates 2! and 23, and the cooperating forming punches22 and 24, engage the lips Na and bend them downwardly out of the planeof the web 1 into the position shown in Figures 3 and 4.

It will be noted that two piercing punches are employed, these beingspaced in the direction of feed of the blank through the pressmechanism, and further that a corresponding number of pairs of formingelements are also employed, similarly spaced.

In order to provide for proper straightline feed of the blank after thebending of flanges l3, the last one of the forming elements (23) ispivotally mounted as at 25 so that as the blank advances, the succeedingbent flange engages and displaces the element 23 about the pivot 25. Assoon as a flange l3 has passed and becomes disengaged from the element23, the return spring 26 acts to bring the member 23 back into itsnormal operative position, so that it is ready for the next actuation ofthe press. In this way a plurality of apertures may be piercedsimultaneously and, in addition, a plurality of the lips l3a may besimultaneously bent upon each actuation of the press.

This method of production lends itself readily to the utilization ofsheet metal stock in the fabrication of stud or joist element of thecharacter herein disclosed.

The flanging of the cross-ties l2 affords a high degree of rigidity inthe structure, per unite-f weight, and I have found that these elementsare unusually effective and economical in use.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.70,016, filed March 21,

1936 (Patent No. 2,167,666, granted August 1,

I claim: 1. Apparatus of the character described including a pair ofpress members adapted to reengage the edges of the cross-ties occurringbe-,

tween the apertures provided by the piercing, whereby to bend said edgesout of the plane of the blank, and thus produce flanges on thecrossties, and one of said forming elements being mounted for movementout of the path of the bent flanges upon contact thereof with a bentflange during advancement of the blank.

2. Apparatus of the character described including a pair of pressmembers adapted to receive and operate on a blank fed therebetween, thepress members being provided with a plurality of pairs of complementarypiercing elements spaced from each other in the direction of feed, and aplurality of pairs of complementary forming elements mounted in thepress members and spaced from each other in the direction of feed, theforming elements being positioned to engage the edges of the cross-tiesoc curring between the apertures provided by the piercing, whereby tobend said edges out of the plane of the blank, and thus produce flangeson the cross-ties, and one of said forming elements I cooperatingpiercing and cooperating forming elements mounted in the pressmembers,the first being adapted to produce apertures in the web of the channeland the second being adapted to bend a side edge portion of thecross-ties formed between the apertures, out of the plane of the channelweb, at least one of the forming elements being displaceable, out of itsoperative position to pass a bent edge of a cross-tie during advancementof the blank in the path aforesaid.

l. A machine of the character described including cooperating pressmembers adapted to receive a channel shaped blank, feeding means adaptedto advance the blank through the press members substantially inastraight line path, a plurality of pairs of cooperating piercingelements associated with thepress members and spaced from each otherlengthwise of the direction of feed, anda plurality of pairs ofcooperating forming elements mounted in the press members and spacedfrom each other lengthwise of the direction of feed, the formingelements being adapted to engage side edge portions of the cross-tiesformed by the piercing and bend said side edge portions out of the planeof the blank, at least one of said forming elements being clisplaceableout of its normal operative position to pass a bent edge duringadvancement of the blank in the path aforesaid.

, RICHARD T. McGEE.

